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Birth:          1246 Molina, Guadalajara, Spain
Death:          1 Jul 1321 Valladolid, Spain
Burial:         Convento de las Huelgas, Valladolid, Spain

Notes
familysearch.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_de_Molina
María Alfonso Téllez de Meneses (c. 1265 – 1321), known as María de Molina, was 
queen consort of Castile and León from 1284 to 1295 by marriage to Sancho IV of 
Castile, and served as regent for her minor son Ferdinand IV (1295 - c.1301) and later 
her grandson Alfonso XI of Castile (1312-1321).
Biography[edit]

María was the daughter of the infante Alfonso of Molina and Mayor Alfonso de 
Meneses. Her paternal grandparents were King Alfonso IX of León and Queen 
Berengaria of Castile.[1]

She married her second cousin Sancho IV of Castile in 1282, the second son of 
Alfonso X the Learned, although the matrimonial dispensation for kinship was not 
previously granted. Upon the death of Alfonso X, she became queen consort of Castile 
and León and was crowned alongside her husband in the cathedral of Toledo. 
Although the couple was pressured to separate by Rome and others, Sancho chose to 
honor his wife and delegated many responsibilities to her, including the regency of 
their son after his death. His reign was short since he died in 1295.

After the death of Sancho IV, he was succeeded by their eldest son Ferdinand IV, 
who was under age. Though according to the Crónica de Sancho IV, Sancho 
designated María as the sole regent,[2] she was forced to share the regency with 
Sancho's uncle, Henry the Senator, younger brother of Alfonso X. Fernando's rule was 
challenged by a coalition that included his uncle, John, his cousins the infantes de la 
Cerda, sons of the infante Ferdinand de la Cerda, eldest son of Alfonso X, as well as 
King James II of Aragón and King Denis of Portugal.[3][4]

Through marriage alliances, gifts of territories, and shrewd politics María was able to 
lead Ferdinand's cause to victory, though it did not come easily. María built her own 
coalition, relying on the Castilian Cortes to confirm her authority and playing the 
powerful family clan of Haro against the Lara clan, who supported the opposition. Civil 
war continued for several years, and María's coregent Henry was often more of an 
antagonist than a defender of his great-nephew's cause. Around 1300 the alliance 
against Ferdinand began to crumble when one of his principal enemies, Juan Núñez 
de Lara, was captured and later reconciled to the young king. Portugal returned to 
allegiance with Ferdinand with the promise of a marriage between the Portuguese 
princess Constance and the young king of Castile. María's victory for her son seemed 
sealed in 1301, when she finally received a papal bull from Pope Boniface VIII, 
legitimizing her marriage and her children. Eventually, only Aragon was left to support 
the claim of Alfonso de la Cerda and his brother, which was finally set aside in a treaty 
between Castile and Aragon a few years later.

María de Molina died in Valladolid in 1321.

Children[edit]
Isabella of Castile (1283–1328). Married first James II of Aragon and secondly John III, 
Duke of Brittany.
Ferdinand IV of Castile (1285–1312). Married Constance of Portugal.
Alfonso (1286–1291)
Henry (1288–1299)
Peter (1290–1319). Married Maria of Aragon, daughter of James II of Aragon.
Philip (1292–1327). Married his cousin Margarita de la Cerda, daughter of Ferdinand de 
la Cerda, Infante of Castile.
Beatrice of Castile (1293–1359). Married Afonso IV of Portugal.

Parents
ALFONSEZ Alfonso (1202 - 6 Jan 1272)
ALFONSO DE MENESES Majora (1222 - 1265)

Siblings
ALFONSO DE MOLINA MESA Maria (Majora) (1246 - 1 Jul 1321)

Marriage To ALFONSEZ Sancho IV "the Brave" (12 May 1258 - 25 Apr 1295)
    m. 1282 

Notes

Parents
____ Alfonso X "El Sabio" (23 Nov 1221 - 4 Apr 1284)
OF ARAGON Yolanda (Violante) (8 Jun 1236 - 1301)

Children by ALFONSEZ Sancho IV "the Brave" 12 May 1258 - 25 Apr 1295
SANCHEZ Fernando IV (6 Dec 1285 - 7 Sep 1312)
SANCHEZ Beatrix Sancha (8 Mar 1293 - 25 Oct 1359)

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